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New Zealand > South Island
By Jessica Lloyd
The Beautiful Bottom Half of Aotearoa
The larger island of the two, the South Island is a wild, rugged outdoorsy-type
person’s paradise. This is not to say that if you are after less strenuous
travels you will be disappointed. To the contrary. There are boats, helicopters,
light planes, trains and automobiles to take you wherever you may wish to go;
should that be the top of a mountain to go heli-boarding, or to a 5-star resort.
Or you could just sit from wherever you happen to end up and enjoy the view, and
some of New Zealand’s best vineyard creations. The South Island has everything
except loads of people to annoy you, but if you want some social action, there
are people there. Somewhere.
Southerners
With less people to annoy them, Southerners tend to be more hermit-like, on a
whole. You can find people here who haven’t seen another human being for months;
they like it this way, it is why they are here. This can tend to make them a wee
bit unsociable, but on a whole, they are as friendly and charming as most other
kiwis.
Because of the rugged landscape, the main centres are few and far between.
Nelson, Christchurch, Dunedin, and Queenstown are the largest inhabited areas,
but as with the rest of the country, in between areas are dotted and spotted
with small towns and teensy settlements. Christchurch is the largest city, with
about 400,000 citizens.
The South is known to be reasonably ‘redneck’ but as far as redneck goes, New
Zealand wouldn’t hope to compare to somewhere like, say, Texas, USA. A kiwi’s
version of redneck is really quite lame in comparison. Which is a good thing. On
a whole, there are less people of ‘other origin’ in the South than in the North,
and the population of Maori is also less. The reason for this is unclear; it’s
just the way it panned out. Southerners also roll their r’s, which is how you
can tell if they are a real Southerner, or an intruder, for example an unruly
student in Dunedin.
Dunedin
Dunedin is a student town, with the number of drunken, rioting inhabitants
rising sharply in February of every year, and dwindling to practically nothing
from November. Otago University is one of New Zealand’s oldest and most
respected universities, which makes Dunedin an attractive place for students to
study – its not only geared up especially for them to live there with a student
discount on just about everything and cheap beer everywhere, it will give them a
respectable qualification too. The real people of Dunedin love the summer, as
they get it all to themselves in this idyllic location.
Dunedin info
Queenstown
This is yuppy-ville. Generally non-resident yuppies. Known as a ski resort town,
Queenstown is busiest in wintertime, though this lovely spot still gets visited
in summer frequently. It is a fantastically amazing area, only tarred by the
hoards of wealthy foreigners in their designer undies who tramp through it every
year. They don’t ruin it, exactly, but you get the drift. If designer socks,
over-priced meals, drinks and accommodation, and excellent ski and snow boarding
are your cup of tea, hit Queenstown up for a room. It’s not generally a
destination many New Zealanders head for, due to the cost and the paved-in-gold
atmosphere, but if you are in the area, the night life is good – every night,
everybody is on holiday – and the scenery is fantastic and there are usually
loads of people rearing to party and have a good time.
Queenstown info
Nelson
At the top of the South Island, the Nelson district is a very beautiful and
serene spot to camp out. A very arty-crafty place, Nelson has many hippies
residing there, potting, gardening, breathing deeply. But then again, so does
most of New Zealand – this country is an arts and crafts fanfare. With more sun
than most of the rest of New Zealand, Nelson could almost be labelled a warm
paradise. Sunny, lots to do, plenty to eat, drink and smoke, and of course its
fair share of stunning scenery. There are lakes, mountains, beaches, vineyards,
and a small city centre with all you might need. Idyllic and peaceful, Nelson is
a nice way to spend a few days, weeks or years.
Nelson info
Christchurch
Known as the garden city of New Zealand, Christchurch certainly lives up to its
name. With a huge expanse of grass, wildflowers, gardens and trees in the very
centre of the city (with cute little creeks running all around it) Christchurch
is certainly very pretty. Christchurch also has a reputation for being very
‘white’ and actually, just a little bit weird. Almost like it has been in a
parallel universe for a century too long. Definitely worth a stop, though the
general consensus has been that it is not a place us non-Christchurch people
would want to hang around in for very long. The large population speaks for
itself, though, and the city is good looking, charming, and big enough for a
person to make a decent life for oneself without straining oneself too greatly.
If you love gardens, you will love Christchurch. It is full of exquisite ones.
Christchurch info
All the Other Little Places in Between
There are quite a few little odd spots, some quaint and others not so quaint.
The South Island is split up into sections by the inhospitable mountain ranges
containing huge glaciers, glassy lakes, and some of the best views in the land.
A thorough tour of the South Island is highly recommended, because the scenery
is just perfect. Get a good day, and you won’t believe your eyes. Some of the
magic spots, like Milford Sound, are beyond words; go see them for yourself.
Drive the south - While you could drive completely around the Island in 3-4
days, a two week tour would include most popular attractions.
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